Dear Parents

As you know, Bateman Primary School is committed to creating a safe and caring environment for your child. We want to ensure that our students are set up for success and that our school culture is one that is rooted in respect and kindness.

On that note, we are thrilled to let you know that we are implementing an internationally recognized program with our students, Friendology 101 by URSTRONG. This wellbeing program empowers children with the skills, language, and self-confidence to be better friends and develop healthier friendships.  Through a series of  sessions, the students will learn language to better express their feelings, stand up for themselves, and put out Friendship Fires® (URSTRONG’s term for conflict). A key element of Friendology 101 is teaching students the difference between normal conflict and bullying. We strongly believe this program’s focus on teaching the skills to develop healthy relationships, starting at a young age, is the preventative approach and, ultimately, the solution to this bullying epidemic. Friendology 101 also helps students and teachers establish a common language so that they can co-identify social issues and learn to better communicate solutions. Based on the feedback from other schools who’ve adopted this program, we are certain the Friendology 101 curriculum will positively improve the culture of our school.

As social-emotional wellbeing and character education are already such an integral part of our school’s philosophy, this friendship program aligns perfectly with our values. Research clearly demonstrates that children who have healthy friendships are involved in more leadership roles, have higher self-esteem, a more positive body image, perform better academically, and make smarter decisions in future relationships.

As the program unfolds, we hope you will keep the conversation going at home. We are excited to watch our students strengthen their social skills by becoming more resilient, empowered, and empathetic friends. For more information about the program, please visit www.urstrong.com.

Thank you for your continued support at home. As you know, my door is always open and please be in touch if you have any questions.

Warm Regards,

Marc Lockett

Principal, Bateman Primary School